For the 18 months I've been a nurse I look at myself as a nurse. For the 2 years I was in nursing school, I looked at myself as a student nurse. Unfortunately, the public sees me as a male nurse, doctor in training, or something along those lines. With that said, I have recently spoken to a home health agency due to a job posting with that company for a part-time nurse position. I also realize and respect a patient's right to choose. I sent in my application/resume with my "male" name clearly at the top and the agency representative called me. He stated one problem upfront and that was I was a man (duh), anyway, since he called me, I continued to speak with him. He said most of their clients refuse male nurses and only want a woman as their nurse. I often thought to myself, "why are you calling me then?". This representative continued to call me occasionally over about 3 weeks wondering if I was still interested and even asking if I wanted something full-time (which I didn't, thats why I applied for their part-time posting), but during each call that he initiated, he would again re-state, that their clients refuse male nurses and only accept women as nurses into their home, which again made me think to myself, "why are you calling me?". I guess I should have asked him, but I didn't. This agency deals with pediatrics, which I am interested in, it doesn't deal with elderly ladies being too modest to have a male caregiver. I guess my point or question after all this rambling is this, are home health agencies really asking patients their preference? How are they asking them their preference? Is the client generally saying we want a female nurse because the general public often sees women as nurses? Any advice? Maybe its just this one home health agency? Home health is one field I would like to venture into, but its been difficult for me to get my big feet in the door.
Just when I thought I'd seen it all, I had a referral come across my desk a while back where the pt's family member requested "no male, black, or foreign caregivers." She wanted white females only. Since then, I've had two more with the same request. I have decided to start calling our team "Crackers R Us." I just can't get over the prejudice of people, it amazes me. I'd much rather have the smart, black, male nurse than the slovenly white old bag, ya know? What on earth does race have to do with anything?
Please understand- I am making no accusation about you or any man in nursing- I am one. I could bet if this is primarily a pediatric agency, people are concerned about innapropriate contact from men with an un-natural attraction to children. In an acute care facillity I'm sure the concern is also there- but it is a less intimate enviornment than working one-on-one with a child in thier home. I have a granddaughter with special needs. In the future she may require intermittant home medical assistance. I would probably be fine with a man providing the care, but it would cross my mind, and I would want to make sure someone is always present when the care is performed until I feel confident of the care giver. Even with that, lots of alter boys have had the greatest trust in thier priest and ended up surprised. Think of how much easier this could occur in a relationship that requires disrobing, or peri care.
Just when I thought I'd seen it all, I had a referral come across my desk a while back where the pt's family member requested "no male, black, or foreign caregivers." She wanted white females only. Since then, I've had two more with the same request. I have decided to start calling our team "Crackers R Us." I just can't get over the prejudice of people, it amazes me. I'd much rather have the smart, black, male nurse than the slovenly white old bag, ya know? What on earth does race have to do with anything?
I fit into two of these categories. The way I look at it is patients have the right to refuse medications, treatment and good care.
I have worked with lots of male nurses and male CNAs in LTC facilities and quite often the male must have a female escort, not always an easy request to comply with. There is no way the agency can send a female nurse to chaperone the male nurse or HHA. If the agency tells the family they can't refuse male employees, they run the risk of losing the case to another agency that promises the family what they want.
Specializes in Peds/outpatient FP,derm,allergy/private duty.
We don't ask for their preference. Normally if someone feels that way, they will say so in the first conversation before the nurse even meets the family.
I have no idea why they would continue to call you to tell you nobody wants a male nurse. I've known many male nurses who are great with kids! I think if they actually met and/or talked with the families most of their fears would be gone. In one home I recall one female patient begrudgingly accepted a male nurse due to the alternative being no nurse and they hit it off very well.
I think you should ask to be interviewed. If the staffer/recruiter person meets you face to face and you make a positive impression, they will be more likely to go to bat for you with the families/adult patients. You might have a better chance of getting orientations that way and again, the real person isn't nearly as objectionable as their pre-conceived notions. Best wishes to you!
Suanna...if people fear male caregivers because priests messed with some alter boys, how about the female teachers that are rocking the desk with the young students...I have to agree with nursel56 in that a face to face interview is important in actually meeting someone rather than making a judgment without knowing someone. Thanks for the information!
Specializes in Tele-Float Pool, Home Care, Pt Safety.
I'm a male bedside nurse who's moving to a home care job at the first of the year (Yay!) I agree with those upthread guessing that the problem lies with the agency. I might add that the agent rep's "warnings" may be coming awfully close to discriminatory hiring practice as well. (Google BFOQ)
I've only encountered resistance to care based on my gender once. My assigned pt told me she "has a problem with male nurses" and assessments. I asked her if she had a problem with male doctors and assessments. She thought about it a couple of seconds and we completed the following 12 hour shift together quite amicably. (Funny how physicians run into sex/gender issues less often than RN's, isn't it?)
I firmly believe in the principle of pt autonomy. I respect social/cultural mores regarding mixed-sex physical contact. However I do not think the right to choose health care interventions grants the pt the right to discriminate against me based on my sex/gender. At least not in 21st century American society - we're above that.
Suanna...if people fear male caregivers because priests messed with some alter boys, how about the female teachers that are rocking the desk with the young students...I have to agree with nursel56 in that a face to face interview is important in actually meeting someone rather than making a judgment without knowing someone. Thanks for the information!
I agree- it happens with both genders, but if you haven't been living in a cave, there is a new news story about a man doing something innapropriate to a little boy or girl every night. I think I can think of only 1 or 2 incidents of this happening with a female teacher/minister/neighbor...These news stories effect how people see strangers who have contact with the children they love. It's prejudice, but I under stand what they are feeling. Unfortunately it has an impact on men in nursing who want to work in pediatrics. Even today, men who enter nursing are seen by many as a little unusual (gay, perverted, or at best-failed doctor). I would love to work in peds, but this is one of the reasons I never followed that path. The manager of the agency was right in lettting an applicant know that there may be fewer opportunities for work for a man in the agency, based on family prefereces.
I'm a male nurse and work full time hh, it happens from time to time. I have worked for 5-6 agencies, some of the office staff will have some prejudices and be hesitant to assign me. In my experience this is only a factor in about 10% of cases or less, nit really a big deal all things considered, I have way more work then I can handle anyway
For the 18 months I've been a nurse I look at myself as a nurse. For the 2 years I was in nursing school, I looked at myself as a student nurse. Unfortunately, the public sees me as a male nurse, doctor in training, or something along those lines. With that said, I have recently spoken to a home health agency due to a job posting with that company for a part-time nurse position. I also realize and respect a patient's right to choose. I sent in my application/resume with my "male" name clearly at the top and the agency representative called me. He stated one problem upfront and that was I was a man (duh), anyway, since he called me, I continued to speak with him. He said most of their clients refuse male nurses and only want a woman as their nurse. I often thought to myself, "why are you calling me then?". This representative continued to call me occasionally over about 3 weeks wondering if I was still interested and even asking if I wanted something full-time (which I didn't, thats why I applied for their part-time posting), but during each call that he initiated, he would again re-state, that their clients refuse male nurses and only accept women as nurses into their home, which again made me think to myself, "why are you calling me?". I guess I should have asked him, but I didn't. This agency deals with pediatrics, which I am interested in, it doesn't deal with elderly ladies being too modest to have a male caregiver. I guess my point or question after all this rambling is this, are home health agencies really asking patients their preference? How are they asking them their preference? Is the client generally saying we want a female nurse because the general public often sees women as nurses? Any advice? Maybe its just this one home health agency? Home health is one field I would like to venture into, but its been difficult for me to get my big feet in the door.
My husband attempted to work in HH because he saw how much I love(d) it. We lived in a rural area and worked for a small agency, and were the newcomers in town. We ended up splitting case loads because so many women we "uncomfortable" with a male nurse alone in their home with them (discovered when the DON called the patient's for satisfaction queries, not that they called to complain). So, he took all the male cases, I took all the females and it pretty much washed out.
While I do respect a patient's right to choose the gender of their nurse based on comfort, especially if there is nudity or partial nudity involved, say for wound care, I feel the agency he worked for PROMOTED this choice and in fact exploited it. For what reason, I don't know. Boredom, to create drama?
Bottom line: I think the culture of the agency defines what the patient's expect. The same is true for continuity. If patient's expect the same nurse every single visit they will dislike the occasion when a strange nurse has to cover or take over and maybe not like her as a result. If instead, they are not promised continuity, and a few different nurses may see them, they will expect that. If the patient is asked by intake prior to the SOC visit, "Is it okay if nurse R, comes to see you tomorrow?" They expect nurse R, they will be disappointed when for whatever reason nurse Q gets assigned to the case in stead. If a patient is told an exact time for their appointment and you show up late they will be disappointed, but if you give them a reasonable time frame when you will show up, they will shift their expectations to match. I think it is defined by the values and culture your agency and it's various representatives present. Lay out the expectations frankly and patient's will get over it, adapt or rarely, seek care elsewhere.
Specializes in Trauma, ER, ICU, CCU, PACU, GI, Cardiology, OR.
for the 18 months i've been a nurse i look at myself as a nurse. for the 2 years i was in nursing school, i looked at myself as a student nurse. unfortunately, the public sees me as a male nurse, doctor in training, or something along those lines. with that said, i have recently spoken to a home health agency due to a job posting with that company for a part-time nurse position. i also realize and respect a patient's right to choose. i sent in my application/resume with my "male" name clearly at the top and the agency representative called me. he stated one problem upfront and that was i was a man (duh), anyway, since he called me, i continued to speak with him. he said most of their clients refuse male nurses and only want a woman as their nurse. i often thought to myself, "why are you calling me then?". this representative continued to call me occasionally over about 3 weeks wondering if i was still interested and even asking if i wanted something full-time (which i didn't, thats why i applied for their part-time posting), but during each call that he initiated, he would again re-state, that their clients refuse male nurses and only accept women as nurses into their home, which again made me think to myself, "why are you calling me?". i guess i should have asked him, but i didn't. this agency deals with pediatrics, which i am interested in, it doesn't deal with elderly ladies being too modest to have a male caregiver. i guess my point or question after all this rambling is this, are home health agencies really asking patients their preference? how are they asking them their preference? is the client generally saying we want a female nurse because the general public often sees women as nurses? any advice? maybe its just this one home health agency? home health is one field i would like to venture into, but its been difficult for me to get my big feet in the door.
many moons ago when i first came to states, i began my nursing career in home-health, this opened my opportunities to other offers later on. moreover, when i registered with an agency the first thing i was told was that i was in luck because they had a male pt. with ms, that only requested male nurses. furthermore, soon thereafter i found out why, this pt. requested male nurses, he never wore any clothing around his home, smoke like a chimney and use foul language. long story short, we got along just fine, and because of him and his connections many years ago i landed a great job as a flight-nurse. one never knows why patients make request like these. however, i learned to respect them and try to accommodate them the best way possible, after all they are the ones who are paying for their care. best wishes to you in all of your future endeavors ....ciao~
I've known many male nurses who are great with kids! I think if they actually met and/or talked with the families most of their fears would be gone. In one home I recall one female patient begrudgingly accepted a male nurse due to the alternative being no nurse and they hit it off very well. 
KateRN1
1,191 Posts
Just when I thought I'd seen it all, I had a referral come across my desk a while back where the pt's family member requested "no male, black, or foreign caregivers." She wanted white females only. Since then, I've had two more with the same request. I have decided to start calling our team "Crackers R Us." I just can't get over the prejudice of people, it amazes me. I'd much rather have the smart, black, male nurse than the slovenly white old bag, ya know? What on earth does race have to do with anything?